BRIDGEWATER, DENVILLE AND MONTVILLE MAYORS TAKE HOME AWARDS
Parsippany – Nearly 500 people crowded into the Parsippany Police Athletic League building on the evening of June 6th to watch 17 north and central New Jersey towns square off in the state’s first-ever Mayors Wellness Campaign “Mayors Healthy Cook-Off.”
“Everyone was a winner,” said Judy Doyle, Director of the Mayors Wellness Campaign. “It was a fun evening filled with a little nutrition education and physical fitness thrown in. We are so grateful to all the mayors, our partners, the judges and the booth participants. I am particularly grateful to the Parsippany Police Athletic League which generously donated its building and staff, Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther and his staff who were the driving forces behind the event and the Morris Area Wellness Partnership’s ‘Eat Smart Move More’ initiative which was so helpful.”
The event was emceed by WMTR Radio personalities Chris Edwards and Steve Pellettiere.
A panel of judges, which included R.J. Cobbs, Parsippany Hills High School football star and New York Giant defensive back; Michael Hudson, President, Northeast Region, Aetna Health Care Delivery; Dr. Sonia Hartunia-Sowa, Assistant Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, College of St. Elizabeth; and, Debra Freschl, Morris Area Wellness Partnership, awarded three mayors with special engraved silver platters as follows:
Twelve other towns participated, including: Washington Mayor Kevin Walsh (Turkey Eggplant Casserole), Madison Mayor Woody Kerkeslager (Baked Shrimp with Feta Cheese); Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther (Vegetable Lasagna); Randolph Mayor Michael Obremski (Dilled Flounder); Wharton Mayor Bill Chegwidden (Stuffed Cabbage); Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone (Ginger Salmon over Broccoli Rabe); Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello (Heart Health Turkey Vegetable Chili); Franklin Township Mayor Brian Levine (Chicken with White Wine); Mount Arlington Mayor Arthur Ondish (represented by Nita Galante – Baked Pasta e Fagioli); Rocky Hill Mayor Ed Zimmerman (Roasted Cedar Plank Salmon); Dover Mayor James Dodd (Veggie Frittata) and Boonton Mayor Cyril Wekilsky (Peaches and Cream French Toast). In addition, although they were unable to attend, three other mayors submitted recipes: Branchburg Mayor Kate Sarles (Green Spaghetti), Upper Saddle River Mayor Ken Gabbert (Chocolate Chip Cookies) and Closter Borough Mayor Sophie Heymann (Fruit Smoothie).
R.J. Cobbs’ appearance was in connection with the New York Giants community goal of fighting childhood obesity and encouraging physical fitness. The effort is part of the National Football League’s “What Moves U” initiative, a national youth movement and awareness campaign designed to promote physical fitness and healthy living. The New York Giants have launched the program in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut middle schools, making improving childhood physical fitness their primary objective in the community. R. J. Cobbs was a star at Parsippany Hills High School, about a 30-minute ride from Giants Stadium.
The Mayors Healthy Cook-Off was sponsored by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, the Morris Area Wellness Partnership and Aetna and was part of the Mayors Wellness Campaign’s effort to promote healthier living and more active lifestyles.
The Cook-Off had a particular emphasis on children and included many children’s events, including: the popular music video game “Dance Dance Revolution;” free Double Dutch jump rope lessons; free t-shirts, free pedometers, free dance demonstrations by local dance troupes; and the raffling of five i-Pod shuffles.
Other participants in the evening’s events included: the American Cancer Society, the Rutgers Co-operative Extension, Rutgers Co-operative Extension 4-H, Subway, Kraft Foods, Shop Rite, Parsippany Library, American Heart Association, YMCA, Whole Foods Market, Morristown Neighborhood House, and “Moment’um.”
The Mayors Wellness Campaign is an initiative of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute (www.njhcqi.org) in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities (www.njslom.org). Major funding has been provided by Aetna and BeneCard. Additional funding has been provided by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, St. Francis Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson Hospital – Hamilton, Johnson & Johnson, Pennoni Associates, Pfizer and Bayville Holdings, LLC. The Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, the Regional Plan Association and the Ramapo College Nursing Program were instrumental in the research and development of the MWC during its initial stages.
The MWC supports mayors as champions of community health. The goal is to increase opportunities for New Jersey residents to participate in daily physical activity with a long-term goal of reducing health care costs secondary to obesity. Through public-private partnerships, the MWC provides structure and resources for healthy community initiatives. By encouraging mayors to play a leadership role in supporting local opportunities for active, healthy lifestyles, the intent of the MWC is to improve health and make New Jersey a national leader in community-based health interventions.
Last spring, each of the 566 mayors in New Jersey’s municipalities were mailed the MWC “Toolbox,” a manual designed to guide them through the implementation of wellness programs in their communities. Broken down into four major sections – Youth in Motion; Employees in Motion; Seniors in Motion; and Communities in Motion – the Toolbox outlines programs that can be directly used in every community in New Jersey. The Toolbox can also be found on the MWC website at www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org.
